Archive
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St Paul's conundrum solution
AN overwhelming response followed last week's Echo Memories on St Paul's Church - so overwhelming, in fact, that we require another week to wade through the letters and e-mails and phone calls. Many thanks to everyone - indeed, thanks to those who contacted
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Saying much to reveal nothing
WHY do we have general elections? What is their point? Here's what happens. For a month before polling day, we hear almost nothing except the yakkety-yak of politicians. They clamour to appear before us, measuring every millimetre and micro-second of
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Farmer in court
The farmer blamed for the foot-and-mouth outbreak that crippled Britain appeared in court today to answer charges about his involvement over the crisis. Pig farmer Bobby Waugh, ironically represented by solicitors firm LeBoef, Lamb, Green and MacRae and
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Bosses banned for nine years
A BUSINESSMAN and woman who allowed two furniture companies to crash with debts of more than £3.5m have been banned from acting as company directors for nine years. Maureen Coleman, of McMullen Road, Darlington and David Arnold Barrett, of Heywood Hall
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City proves to be a hotspot
A NORTH-EAST city has once again proved that it is a curry hotspot. Earlier this year, Sunderland restaurateur Syed Miah won a regional curry competition, and now, 25 members of the Bangladeshi community have been awarded the Chartered Institute of Environmental
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Divided over regional power
IN theory, regional government is an attractive idea. A vast tier of regional quangoes already exists. It spends £1bn a year in the North-East doing as its many masters in London see fit. But do politicians and civil servants in London know what the North-East
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Short extension for GNER
Railway operator GNER has had its franchise on the East Coast main line extended - but only by two years until 2005. GNER had been competing with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin trains in the hope of winning a 20-year franchise deal for the London to Scotland
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Art discovery excitement
THIS is one of three forgotten paintings that have sent a ripple of excitement across a building site. Workers converting Wilton Castle, ICI's former executive's playground, near Redcar, on Teesside, into luxury apartments, discovered a hidden turret
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Did the best man lose?
THE Conservatives are a truly remarkable political party. They were the most effective ruling organisation in Western Europe for the entire 20th Century, but yesterday they showed they didn't have a clue where they wanted to go in the 21st. They have
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Disease claims charter shoot
THE continuing foot-and-mouth crisis has led to the cancellation of another event in the celebrations marking Bedale's 750 market charter anniversary. A clay pigeon shoot, which was to have been held on Sunday, August 4, at Crakehall, has been called
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Jackpot winner pays flying visit to tell his bosses 'I quit'
THE JCB driver who scooped a £7.5m fortune on the National Lottery resigned in style yesterday - when he arrived by helicopter. Barry Moss, of Darlington, hired the luxury chopper to bid a final farewell to his career as a digger driver. Mr Moss, who
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Banking on steady growth continuing
THE interim reporting season for the UK's banks gets under way this week. Economic uncertainty in Europe and the US has so far had little impact on the performance of the UK banks, reflecting their general insularity. The UK economy is of course no longer
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Free computer courses offer
PEOPLE who have never used a computer before are being offered free courses at Bishop Auckland College. They are available to anyone in receipt of state benefit - including incapacity benefit - pensioners, people on New Deal programmes, and those who
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Jobs delight
Unemployment has plunged to a 25-year low, according to figures published today. A total of 963,700 people were claiming benefit last month, down by 12,000 on May. In the three months to May, unemployment fell by 82,000 to 1.45 million. Meanwhile, average
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Call to bring power to region
THE region would be far more economically successful if it had greater power in its own hands, according to research published today. It suggests that, if an elected assembly in the region took control of areas like the economy, skills, planning, housing
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Growing older, dressing younger
WHATEVER happened to grown-ups? Come to that, whatever happened to children? New words in dictionaries this month include Tweenies - for children aged 8-12, and Middlescents - for those 40, 50 and even 60 somethings who've never grown up. All of which
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Quick-thinking Iain, 14, keeps a cool head in blaze drama
A TEENAGER has been praised for his quick-thinking, which may have saved a man's life. Fourteen-year-old Iain Robinson was walking past a bungalow in Spurn Walk, Hartlepool, on Monday evening, when he heard the smoke alarm going off. As he approached
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Families call for inquiry into hospital
THE families of two patients who died while being treated at a North-East psychiatric unit will today lobby the Government for a public inquiry into the hospital. Keven Knowles, 29, suffered fatal burns at Cherry Knowle Hospital, Ryhope, Sunderland, in
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School wins gold award for arts work
A NORTH-East school is one of the first in the country to receive an award recognising its high quality arts education. Haughton Community School, in Darlington, has achieved an Artsmark Gold Award from the Arts Council of England. The award recognises
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Victim's cries unheeded in street attack
A woman's cries for help as she was being mugged went unheeded. The 18-year-old was waiting for a lift to work at the Ruby Terrace junction of Borough Road, Middlesbrough, at about 8.20am on Monday when the incident happened. She was approached by a woman
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Van driver's four-hour ordeal at hijacker's hands
POLICE are hunting a man who hijacked a delivery van at a motorway service station before leading the driver to a remote field and assaulting him. The driver endured a four-hour ordeal after he was confronted by a man, who police believe could have been
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New complaint against doctor
A DOCTOR who once treated Prime Minister Tony Blair is facing a new medical negligence complaint from the family of a cancer victim. Health bosses have confirmed that they have received a complaint from the family of the late Norman Heath, 48, from Trimdon
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New complaint against doctor
A DOCTOR who once treated Prime Minister Tony Blair is facing a new medical negligence complaint from the family of a cancer victim. Health bosses have confirmed that they have received a complaint from the family of the late Norman Heath, 48, from Trimdon
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Generations bid goodbye to margaret
THE children of Dormanstown Primary School are saying farewell to a nursery teacher who has cared for local youngsters for more than three decades. Margaret Armstrong, of Guisborough, has been a favourite with Dormanstown's children and parents since
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Million reasons for firms to get on
GROWING businesses in the Tees Valley should benefit from £1m of new investment. The investment by UK Steel Enterprise (UKSE), is part of a national £10m package announced by the company yesterday. UKSE wants to step up its investment activities in existing
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£3m pub project overcomes problems
A NEW pub and restaurant is due to open in the centre of Durham this weekend, after a seven-month delay. Cathedrals, in the city's Victorian former police station, in Court Lane, was scheduled to start trading last November. But businessman Richard Lazenby
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£2.3m theatre and community centre plans are announced
PLANS for a £2.3m theatre and community centre to be built on the site of a disused pit have been unveiled. The Special Needs Unity Group (Snug) - which caters for both people with learning disabilities and fully able people in County Durham - has completed
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Motorist dead after suspected heart attack
A DRIVER died after suffering what was believed to be a heart attack at the wheel of his car. Henry Thomas, 73, of Sunnybrow, near Crook, County Durham, was driving his Vauxhall Vectra along the B6286, in Willington, when the car careered off the road
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Double helping of joy helps couple overcome their grief
A COUPLE devastated by the loss of their baby daughter just a year ago were yesterday celebrating the birth of twin girls. Ian Guilbert and Kelly Moore were distraught at the sudden death of their apparently healthy baby Anna Louise just two hours after
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Case delayed . . . by typist's hols
CROWN Prosecution Service lawyers received a courtroom rocket yesterday after a trial was halted because of a typist's holidays. Harrogate magistrates should have sent a 24-year-old man for trial at York Crown Court on charges of assault and threatening
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Driver jailed as girl fights for life
A BANNED driver was jailed for six months yesterday - two days after an accident in which a five-year-old girl was badly hurt as she showed off her wedding flower girl's outfit. Garry Wilkinson stopped after the incident in which Sophie Graham was knocked
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We regret pension cuts, says chief
THOUSANDS of North-East customers of life assurer Equitable Life are having their nest eggs slashed. The 240-year-old firm has said pension policies for its 400,000 with-profits policyholders would be reduced by 16 per cent of the value of the policy
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Ballot for tenants on homes transfer
TENANTS in east Cleveland are to be balloted on the future management of their homes. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is hoping to transfer the management of 12,000 council homes in the borough to a non-profit making company able to gain access to
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Addicts given final chance after thefts
TWO drug addicts have been given a final chance by a judge after repeatedly shoplifting to support their habits. John Jones, 29, and Jane Sidlow, 25, both have a string of previous convictions for dishonesty. They pleaded guilty to another offence of
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Inflation holds as hopes of interest rate cut fade
THE underlying rate of inflation was unchanged last month despite a further surge in food prices, new figures reveal. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the underlying rate, which excludes mortgage interest payments, stayed at 2.4 per cent,
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Victim of beating criticises detectives
A TRAINEE teacher who was beaten up by eight students in dinner jackets says his case should have been given the same priority as "student bashing" assaults. Hugh Holding, 31, a former student at Durham University, was brutally beaten by a gang of smartly-dressed
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Benefits service delays criticised
A REPORT has severely criticised the standard of the benefits service provided by Sedgefield Borough Council. A six-month review of the service has revealed huge delays in processing claims and a massive backlog. The council aims to process all new claims
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Cash aid to boost under-4s learning
A SECOND scheme to give youngsters the best start in life could bring more than a million pounds to Darlington. The town has received an invitation to bid for money for a second Sure Start project. Sure Start is a Government initiative aimed at parents
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Woman accused of setting fire to her home
A WOMAN appeared in court yesterday, accused of putting the lives of disabled neighbours in danger by setting fire to her home. Kim Knowles, who uses a wheelchair, was remanded in custody until tomorrow by Harrogate magistrates, who are expected to send
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Son of 1966 hungarian hero gelei bids for glory in the north-east
HE was a marvellous Magyar who won the hearts of North-Easterners. Now the son of 1966 world cup Hungarian goalkeeper Josef Gelei, also Josef, has arrived in the region with his own team, in a bid to win a European championship. The European championships
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Nurse breaks silence in deaths riddle
A SENIOR nurse who worked at a hospital at the time of a series of mystery deaths last night broke her silence after a quarter of a century. Sylvia Sherlock, who emigrated to Australia in 1978, was joint sister in charge of the P1 psychiatric wing of
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Pupils unite to give academy identity
A NAME and logo have been chosen for Teesside's first city academy. The academy, which is under construction in east Middlesbrough, will be known as the Unity City Academy. Its logo, as chosen by children from Langbaurgh and Keldholme Schools, which it
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Critical care unit opened at hospital
A high-dependency unit has been opened to provide extra beds for seriously-ill patients in North Yorkshire. The building follows a successful bid for cash to the NHS regional office to expand and develop critical care services at York District Hospital
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Father collapsed at wheel of car
A FATHER-OF-TWO has died after collapsing at the wheel of his car. Last night the family of 36-year-old Neville Douthwaite paid tribute to his presence of mind after he managed to stop the car before losing consciousness. His mother June, a passenger
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Robocop in spy claim
CLEVELAND'S former CID chief Ray Mallon claims he is being followed by MI5 agents even though the long-running investigation into him collapsed without criminal charge, it emerged today. The detective, praised by Tony Blair and dubbed Robocop for his
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Robocop in spy claim
CLEVELAND'S former CID chief Ray Mallon claims he is being followed by MI5 agents even though the long-running investigation into him collapsed without criminal charge, it emerged today. The detective, praised by Tony Blair and dubbed Robocop for his
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Firm at cutting edge of greener cleaner era
CATALYSTS firm Synetix has unveiled the latest stage in its global rebranding programme. The science company, part of the ICI group, welcomed Stockton council leader Bob Gibson to its Haverton Hill site in Billingham to open a new commercial centre. Synetix
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Quakers ready to ease their way back into friendly action
DARLINGTON get their pre-season campaign underway tonight when an injury ravaged squad travels to Blyth to face Scottish Division One side Ayr United. New signing Neil Maddison misses out after a hernia operation, as does Phil Brumwell and long-term injury
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School holiday adventure plans
LEISURE chiefs in Sunderland are promising a bigger and better school summer holiday activity programme. Action Raiders will be held at leisure centres throughout the city during the break and is aimed at youngsters aged eight to 13. City council officials
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Taking pot shots at the law-makers
CAN I have my gun back please? The problem is this. We live in a house called The Watch House, attached to my church in the City of London, and directly across the road from the Old Bailey. After the excitements of the Jill Dando murder trial - which,
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Growing older, dressing younger
WHATEVER happened to grown-ups? Come to that, whatever happened to children? New words in dictionaries this month include Tweenies - for children aged 8-12, and Middlescents - for those 40, 50 and even 60 somethings who've never grown up. All of which
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Rain puts paid to sport festival
NEARLY 200 disappointed youngsters turned up for school yesterday to learn that a min-paralympics event had been called off. Organisers of Durham's first Inclusive Sports Festival decided to cancel early yesterday morning after a downpour at the Shildon
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Two charged after death of schoolgirl
TWO women have been charged with drugs offences following an investigation into the death of a 15-year-old schoolgirl. Stacey Laight, from Horden, east Durham, died in the University Hospital of Hartlepool in May, after a night out in the town with friends
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Disabled voters faced access struggle at polling stations
HUNDREDS of disabled voters found it difficult to have their say in this year's General Election, because of access problems at polling stations. A report published today by disability charity Scope, reveals that many polling stations visited around the
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Tropical taste
VISITORS to a North-East city will be able to enjoy a taste of the tropics. Two pineapple sculptures, commissioned for Sunderland's entry to the Britain in Bloom competition last year, were placed on the city's Board Inn roundabout yesterday. The sculptures
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57 different varieties of a horse bean
A column in which we shall examine the North-East's interesting use of the word "starvation" - and indeed the term "half starved to death" - wonder aloud why Gadfly readers have suddenly joined the risque business, enjoy a little striptease with Mr Allan
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57 different varieties of a horse bean
A column in which we shall examine the North-East's interesting use of the word "starvation" - and indeed the term "half starved to death" - wonder aloud why Gadfly readers have suddenly joined the risque business, enjoy a little striptease with Mr Allan
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Lingerie theft
THE owner of an internationally renowned lingerie business has been left distraught by daring thieves who stole nearly £12,000 worth of stock. Sally Robinson, whose Ample Bosom firm caters for ladies of a fuller figure, said the burglary at her warehouse
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MP backs retrospective revision of jeopardy law
A MEMBER of the select committee which recommended double jeopardy be revised, has called for the changes to be retrospective. If the law was altered so suspects could be tried twice for the same crime, Martin Linton, Labour MP for Battersea, would like
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Faculties merger will mean job losses
A NUMBER of academic staff are to lose their jobs as part of a North-East university's restructuring. Newcastle University agreed yesterday to merge its seven faculties into three, as part of plans to make it one of the top ten universities in the country
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Ombudsman to investigate cut in leisure services
CAMPAIGNERS have asked the Local Government Ombudsman to investigate leisure centre cutbacks. Widespread protests were sparked when the ski slope and miners' welfare hall at Willington's Spectrum Leisure Centre were shut in April. Wear Valley District
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Cobbler forced to close after battle
BATTLING cobbler Tony Martin is closing his shop because of falling trade and a hefty rates bill. Mr Martin, who has received national publicity for his one-man campaign against local bureaucracy, will shut down on Saturday, August 4. The family business
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'TV drama prompted boys to tell of abuse'
A POIGNANT scene from the TV soap Hollyoaks prompted two boys to tell their mother they had been sexually abused, a court heard yesterday. The brothers, giving evidence by video link at York Crown Court, denied they were persuaded by their "furious" mother
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Van driver's four-hour ordeal at hijacker's hands
POLICE are hunting a man who hijacked a delivery van at a motorway service station before leading the driver to a remote field and assaulting him. The driver endured a four-hour ordeal after he was confronted by a man, who police believe could have been
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Talking goes on to save drugs plant jobs
TALKS are already under way between union officials and workers in an effort to save 400 jobs at a North-East drugs plant. Selected members of staff have already met with union representatives at the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) site at Barnard Castle, County
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Firm is fined £16,000 for asbestos risk
A floating nightclub was fined £16,000 yesterday after bosses admitting exposing workers to asbestos. Cinderella Rockerfellas was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) when it was discovered that tradesmen carrying out a £650,000 refit on
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Town honours efforts of its top gardeners
A TOWN honoured its top gardeners last night for putting on a good show. Winners of this year's Bishop Auckland in Bloom competition were announced at a ceremony arranged by the Civic Society at the town hall. Mr and Mrs Stamp, from Tindale Crescent,
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Training on asbestos
Headteachers in Redcar and Cleveland are to receive training in spotting asbestos in school buildings. The training has been arranged after asbestos was found at Warsett School, in Brotton, in February. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is carrying
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Dumped Portillo quits the front line
Michael Portillo quit frontline politics with his ambitions in tatters last night after being dumped from the Tory leadership race. The final ballot of Tory MPs saw Kenneth Clarke move ahead of Iain Duncan Smith as the two candidates who will face the
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo PUBLIC DISORDER "I'LL quell the riots", promised Home Secretary David Blunkett, who said he would think about using water cannon on rioters. This was tough talk. Nothing else from David Blunkett, because now he has ruled
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Inquest into driver's death adjourned
AN inquest opened yesterday into the death of a motorist from injuries suffered in a collision, after driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway. Kevin Wile, 45, died in Middlesbrough General Hospital's intensive care unit 12 days after breaking his
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Career puzzle puts pupils to the test
YOUNGSTERS mistakenly believed the editor of The Northern Echo was a psychiatrist or a farmer during a fun game of What's My Line? The six and seven-year-old pupils at Whinfield Infant School, Darlington, were attempting to guess the occupations of four
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An industrial relations ploy adapted by workers
IN NOVEMBER, the Darlington Club and Institute, in High Northgate, celebrates its 100th anniversary. The Darlington is justifiably proud of being the oldest surviving club in the town and the first to be affiliated to the national Club and Institute Union
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Boy's £30,000 compensation after street-sweeper accident
A TEENAGER has won £30,000 compensation from his local council after being crushed by a street-sweeping lorry. Middlesbrough Borough Council has been ordered to pay the cash to 13-year-old Mark Higgins, of Coppice Road, Marton Grove, Middlesbrough, following
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Durham building Bridge
DURHAM'S C & G Trophy hero Graeme Bridge will play his second first-class match today, two years after the first. Nicky Phillips is making a slow recovery from his hand injury and will be unfit to face his former county Sussex at the Riverside, giving
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Hopes blossom for a floral prize
Click here to see pictures from the town or get involved DARLINGTON is holding its breath and hoping for success after a visit from the Northumbria in Bloom judges yesterday. The town is hoping to go one better than its best city award in the competition
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Cause of death disputed, jury told
A PATHOLOGIST told a murder trial jury yesterday that a prostitute must have had her airway blocked for up to a minute before she died. Dr John McCarthy was giving evidence in the trial at Teesside Crown Court of Shuan Tuley, who denies murdering 20-year-old
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Foundation for a big idea
IT takes something big to capture something of the immensity of work completed in the North-East at the height of the industrial age. But that is exactly what Beamish Open Air Museum in County Durham is to do by building a £1.6m replica of a 1913 engineering
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Eisteddfod puts focus on communities
TEESSIDE will be a blaze of colour during a five-day folk festival. From Saturday to next Wednesday, dancers from all over Europe will converge on Middlesbrough for the Teesside International Eisteddfod. The main competitions will take place in the Town
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Christian delay for deal
CHRISTIAN Karembeu found himself grounded yesterday as his move from Middlesbrough to Greek champions Olympiakos was hit by a flight delay. The France star had been due to be unveiled to fans after jetting in from Paris where he agreed a deal now reckoned
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Correction: wrong address
A story in Wednesday July 4 edition of The Northern Echo carried a story about the trial at Newcastle Crown Court of Dean Desilva, who denies taking an indecent photo and possessing an indecent video. Our report stated that his address was Whitehouse
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Saying much to reveal nothing
WHY do we have general elections? What is their point? Here's what happens. For a month before polling day, we hear almost nothing except the yakkety-yak of politicians. They clamour to appear before us, measuring every millimetre and micro-second of
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Farmer in court
The farmer blamed for the foot-and-mouth outbreak that crippled Britain appeared in court today to answer charges about his involvement over the crisis. Pig farmer Bobby Waugh, ironically represented by solicitors firm LeBoef, Lamb, Green and MacRae and
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Campaign to free confessed killer attacked
AN MP's campaign to free the self-confessed murderer of a former Newcastle United footballer has been attacked by the detective who investigated the case. Labour's John McDonnell has asked House of Commons colleagues to sign an Early Day Motion claiming
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Centurion of Steel
THE business community's involvement with Tyne and Wear Museums has resulted in £1.5m of investment in museum projects in the past ten years. To celebrate that decade of partnership, a summer party was held at Segedunum Roman Fort, Baths and Museum, in
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Jumping for joy
Triple jump hero Jonathan Edwards fired a warning to his World Championship rivals after winning his eighth competition of the summer. The Gateshead-based star leapt to victory in Stockholm with a jump of 17.40 metres. A confident Edwards is now aiming
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Praise for tackling of gunman
ARMED police have been praised for their bravery after using CS gas to overpower a gunman who had earlier fired several shots at officers. The suspect's handgun was later found to be an imitation but police - who did not fire a single shot - had to treat
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New music event announced
AROUND 50,000 music lovers are expected to attend a major music event announced today. Top pop acts A1, Feeder and The Honeyz have been confirmed for the 20-strong bill at the Feel The Noise Live event at Newcastle Racecourse on Sunday, August 26. The
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The square sheep man heads for pastures new
SUCCESS overseas has tempted one of the country's leading contemporary artists to confirm his imminent departure from his studios in the region. Mackenzie Thorpe - famous for his square sheep and Christmas cards commissioned by Tory leader William Hague
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Potted history of the clubs
AT the height of the working men's clubs era, in about 1960, there were 11 in Darlington with more than 20,000 members, out of a population of less than 80,000: Darlington Club: The first, formed on Northgate in 1901. Central Club: Formed in May 1907,
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Seat of learning to centre for the arts
AFTER more than a century as a teachers' training college, the building which now houses Darlington's Arts Centre was opened in its new role in 1982, and was soon hailed as one of the country's best. Favourable comparisons were made with London's Barbican
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Farmers call for restriction relaxation
FARMERS in the region are calling on the Government to ease foot-and-mouth restrictions in a desperate attempt to shift vast numbers of stock. Many farmers are facing financial ruin because they cannot sell stock and are being forced to use fodder intended
